Top 3 Myths about Cleaning your Laminate and Hardwood Flooring

Here at Rainbow Home Interiors, we understand what the flooring in your home faces on a daily basis. The battle to keep your laminate and hardwood flooring clean in your home can become a daunting task with all the traffic that goes across it, but one thing remains true…Your floors take a beating, and the need for a cleaning from time to time is necessary. Here are the top 3 myths dispelled about how to properly care for your Laminate and Hardwood flooring investment.

Myth #1: It is acceptable for your Hardwood and Laminate flooring to be cleaned using Excessive water or “steam cleaned”:
Just because your floors are a hard surface in your home, does not mean that it is ok to be mopped with mass amounts of liquids or worse yet “steam cleaned”!!
Mopping and or “steam cleaning” is one of the worst ways to clean your Laminate or Hardwoods. According to the National Wood Floor Association (NWFA) www.NWFA.com and the National Laminate Flooring Association (NLFA) www.NLFA.com , both agree that “Using steam or excessive water may damage a wood floor”, and likewise for Laminate flooring, “We do not endorse the use of steam cleaning machines on laminate flooring”.
This is further backed up by the World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) www.WFCA.com , where they state, “We cannot find a manufacturer of either laminate or Hardwood flooring that will recommend the use of Steam cleaning equipment on their floors!” They further add that “To clean and maintain your hardwood or laminate flooring, the use of sweeping and or using a vacuum cleaner without a beater bar should be sufficient. An occasional cleaning with a mop lightly moistened with a non-abrasive cleaning product in conjunction with a (micro fiber and terrycloth) application is recommended. Myth #2: Your Pre-finished floor is not susceptible to water damage due to the hard finish:
Again, this belief couldn’t be further from the truth. The fact of the matter is this, we agree that your pre-finished laminate and hardwood flooring is tough and has a nice finish to it once installed. However, the facts are the facts…Although both of these products are pre-engineered, they are both porous materials that are susceptible to water damage if water comes in contact with the product on an extended basis. According to two of the leading suppliers of laminate and hardwood flooring. Tarkett Laminate and Vinyl flooring and Armstrong/Bruce hardwood flooring states “Do not use excessive water or Steam Cleaning methods, both methods can severely damage the flooring integrity and are not recommended.” Myth #3: The manufacturer’s warranty will stay intact, no matter what cleaning method you use.
Again, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Protect your investment by cleaning your laminates, hardwoods and even porcelain tile flooring the proper way. Manufacturer warranties only stay intact when proper cleaning practices are used, as well as “common wear and tear” policies are abided by. These warranties are most often the single biggest things overlooked by customers and even some installers when recommending a specific flooring.

For more information and warranty policies for these leading brands and others, please refer to these additional sites:

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Rainbow Home Interiors has distinguished itself by offering a full range of home and commercial flooring products. From hardwood and laminate flooring to carpeting and tile you’ll find it all in one place along with expert installation.